MRI scans disclosed that boys’ brains appeared 1.4 years older than expected after the lockdown compared to 4.2 years for girls.
According to reports, adolescent girls who experienced the COVID lockdowns have experienced quick brain ageing more than boys, indicating that social constraints affect girls more than boys.
MRI scans revealed evidence of premature brain ageing in both girls and boys. However, girls’ brains appear to age prematurely, 4.2 years older than expected, while boys’ brains are 1.4 years older.
The study’s findings raised concerns that the changes might affect the teenagers’ potential to learn and their mental health; however, it is unclear whether the changes have negative effects.
Prof Patricia Kuhl, a co-director of the Institute for Learning and Brain Science at the University of Washington in Seattle, stated, “We were shocked by these data, that the difference is so dramatic.”
The researcher collected MRI scans of 160 children aged between 9 and 17 in 2018 and used them to construct a model of how the brain’s cortex typically thins during the academic year. A natural and essential aspect of the maturation specialization of the adolescent brain is some cortical thinning.
After the lockdowns, the team revisited the same cohort in 2021 and 2022 and gathered MRI scans from children aged 12 and 16. The results showed faster cortical thinning in 30 girls’ brains and one area of the boys’ brains spanning both hemispheres and all lobes.
Some researchers have linked premature brain ageing to the pandemic lockdowns. The most recent study, in the National Academy of Sciences proceedings, is the first to disclose the stark differences between girls and boys.
Signs of accelerated ageing in the brain region connected to vision and potential affecting the processing of the face were revealed in both genders. However, the brain changes were extensive in girls. Many impacted areas support social cognition, including those with roles in processing emotions, interpreting facial expressions, and language comprehension, which researchers say are critical for communication.
Kuhl thinks the difference mirrors the differences in dependence on social groups and interactions. She said, “Girls chat endlessly and share their emotions.” “They are much more dependent [than boys] on the social scene for their well-being and for their healthy neural, physical, and emotional development.”
Kuhl noted that premature cortical thinning is connected to early life adversity and a greater risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, more research is needed to prove whether brain ageing affects cognitive performance. Cortical thinning is important for the brain to specialize; however, it comes with a loss of mental flexibility that could potentially affect learning.
According to Kuhl, the findings were a “reminder of the fragility of teens” and suggested parents talk to their teenagers about their pandemic experiences. “It’s important they invite their teens for a coffee, for a tea, for a walk, to open the door to conversation,” she said. “Whatever it takes to get them to open up.”
Ian Gotlib, a Stanford University professor of psychology who reported similar brain changes, stated, “It’s important to recognize that although the pandemic is largely over, the effects of the stress of the pandemic are still there for children and adolescents.” “Making sure that youth are supported in terms of their mental health is critical, perhaps now more than ever before.”
Dr Lina Van Drunen, a researcher at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said, “This adds to our understanding that adolescents experienced accelerated brain changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Drune also reported similar brain changes in adolescents. She added that identifying the specific factors causing premature brain ageing and understanding its long-term impacts was key.
